Aviation security careers 

To be considered for a career with AvSec, you must meet the following pre-requisites:

• Must be willing to wear gloves on shift.
• Must be medically and physically fit and willing to undertake a medical assessment by a licensed practitioner.
• Must be able to a work shift pattern of 6 days on and 3 days off with early starts and late finishes.
• Must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
• Must have a full clean New Zealand driver's licence.

Due to the requirements of the role those with colour vision deficiencies, recent serious injuries, or criminal convictions will not be considered.

Before you apply

What positions are AvSec recruiting for right now?

Check out our careers page(external link) to see what positions we are accepting applications for!

Where are you based?

AvSec operate at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill airports.

What is the salary?

The salary of our employee’s varies depending on the role, but all AvSec positions follow a progression criterion, meaning your pay is likely to increase along with your experience.

Aviation Security Officers and Behavioural Detection Officers have a starting base salary of $70,084 per annum.

Load assistants have a starting base rate of approx $25.56 per hour.

All salaries are pro-rated where hours are part-time.

Can I apply if I have New Zealand Residency?

If you are a resident, you can apply regardless of how long you have held residency for.

Do I need a driver's licence?

For most roles at AvSec you will not need a driver's licence, but if you become an Aviation Security Officer, you will need a current and full New Zealand driver's licence by the time you start the role. Role requirements will be detailed in the application form and job advertisement.

If you are currently on a restricted driver's licence and are eligible to sit your full licence, please continue with the application process. If successful, we can stagger your start date until you obtain your full licence.

What are the age requirements?

There is no age restriction for AvSec employees, but our Aviation Security Officers need to have a full driver’s licence by the time they start, and they're usually 18 by the time they've completed the driver's licence process.

Ideally our employees reflect the population we serve, so we welcome applicants of all ages.

Does the Clean Slate Act apply to me?

The Clean Slate Act 2004 does not apply for AvSec operational applicants. Candidates applying for security-based roles are subject to an exception level check.

If you are applying for an administrative or load assistant role, you will be vetted under the Clean Slate Act.

Can I apply if I have traffic offences or minor historical criminal convictions?

Driving can be a component of the roles here at AvSec and we require that applicants have a clean, full licence. We can exercise discretion for applicants with minor historical criminal convictions. Please discuss with your recruiter.

Can I apply if my colour blindness is mild or corrected with lenses?

Applicants with colour vision deficiencies cannot be considered at this time. Our medical standards are currently being reviewed, so please check back here in the future.

My application was unsuccessful. When can I apply again?

We ask applicants to wait 12 months before re-applying unless there has been a significant change in circumstances.

I have COA – will that help my application?

Applicants with COA are welcome to apply and include that information as part of their application.

What experience or qualifications are needed?

No qualifications or specific experience required to join AvSec. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.

I work in aviation security overseas and would like to join New Zealand Aviation Security Service – what do I need?

You’ll need a New Zealand residency and New Zealand driver's licence before applying. Because we have our own training standards, you will still need to undergo AvSec training if you are successful at the recruitment stage.

Do you have vaccination requirements?

The Authority strongly encourages and supports all our people to be vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, however our current policy position is that vaccination is not a requirement for employment in this role. Please note that the Authority may, if needed, introduce a vaccination requirement for managing an epidemic.

Recruitment process

How do I apply?

To apply, you need to register on our careers portal and upload a CV. You can also sign up for job alerts through our careers portal if we do not have a suitable vacancy right now.

Am I eligible to re-apply?

Former Aviation Security Officers are welcome to re-apply. Note that you will be subject to the same recruitment process as other applicants.

What is involved in the recruitment process?

We have different processes for different roles; however, they all start with you applying through our careers portal. You will then be contacted by a recruiter about the next steps.

Can I ask for feedback on my application?

Yes. Please contact us at recruitment@avsec.govt.nz and a recruiter will be in touch with you.

Training at AvSec

What is involved in the training?

We have different training processes for different roles at AvSec. Most roles require you to take part in practical training, which can be located across New Zealand.

If you are selected to take part and need to travel for training, flights and accommodation are provided.

For Aviation Security Officers, the classroom training takes six weeks and is located in either Christchurch or Auckland. This training will be done in addition to on-job experience in our operation. Once you have completed this training, you will obtain NZQA Level 4 qualification.

On the job

How do the shifts work?

The shift pattern is typically six days on and three days off, or four days on two days off. The shift sequence you would follow depends on the station you are employed at (Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown or Dunedin).

There are usually three shift types:

• Morning – as an example, you may start at 3am for your morning shift
• Afternoon – as an example, you may start at 1pm for your afternoon shift
• Night – as an example, you may start at 10pm for your night shift

The standard full-time shift is eight and a half hours per day and part-time hours will vary depending on your location, but there is a minimum of three hours per shift.

You can be required to work split shifts at Dunedin Airport.

How can I become an Explosive Detector Dog Handler?

To apply, you need to register on our careers portal, and upload a cover letter and CV. You can sign up for job alerts there too, if we don't have a suitable vacancy right now. Learn more about the Explosive Detector Dog Handler role here: Explosive Detector Dog Unit(external link).

Are there many opportunities for professional development?

There is a wide variety of progression opportunities available at AvSec! We are a large organisation with many opportunities for career progression.

Our Load Assistant or Aviation Security Officer positions are a great place to build your career in aviation security. We also offer positions such as Explosive Detector Dog Handlers, Behavioural Detection Officers and a lot of opportunities to step up into leadership roles.

Can I work part-time?

We do have part-time contracts. The hours would depend on which airport you were based. We do not offer casual hours.

Our values guide how we work and the behaviours we expect from each other. You'll join a professional working environment where our staff feel respected, safe, included and empowered to perform their roles.

Our values are: - Collaboration – Me mahi tahi We work together to achieve success. - Transparency – Me mahi pono We are open and honest communicators. - Integrity – Me mahi tika We do the right thing. - Respect – Me manaaki We treat all people with consideration and kindness. - Professionalism – Kia tū rangatira ai We act in a way that brings credit to ourselves and our organisation.